I suppose every good party is followed by a helluva hangover.
The Mets drew within half a game of the Braves with an unlikely victory Thursday night, passed them in the standings with an absolute beatdown on Friday … and then reality set in. Saturday was Spencer Schwellenbach [1] muzzling them, whoever he was. And Sunday … well.
Sunday started off as a carbon copy of Saturday’s game, as David Peterson [2] looked unbeatable early and then very beatable in the middle innings. But it came with the added frustration of the Mets forgetting how to hit with runners in scoring position.
Francisco Lindor [3] led off the first with a single … and was erased on a double play.
Pete Alonso [4] led off the second with a double … and was still there after a lineout and a pair of Ks.
Tyrone Taylor [5] led off the third with a double … and managed to get to third, but no further.
Leadoff doubles are gimme runs — a ground ball behind the runner and a deep enough flyout and you’ve got a run without the benefit of another hit. Though “another hit” is always a good strategy.
The Mets couldn’t manage either, until the fifth. Already down 4-0, Taylor led off with another double. This time, Ben Gamel [6] bucked the trend with a single, with Taylor sent home instead of held at third. Aggressive, but Ramon Laureano [7] hadn’t made a play all weekend. Guess what? He made this one, throwing Taylor out at home and making it crystal-clear that this wasn’t going to be our day.
And indeed it wasn’t. Ryne Stanek [8]‘s debut … you know what, let’s draw a discreet curtain across it as a welcome gift for the second-newest Met. Jesse Winker [9] made his debut, as well, and didn’t give up any runs (yay!) but then that’s because he was pinch-hitting and struck out (oh). Not that sending Winker to the mound could have made things much worse [10].
And so the Mets wound up back where they started before their long weekend’s adventure, older and perhaps warier. They look a little different now; they’ll probably look a little more different by the end of the week. They could use another starter and one gets the feeling they’ll secure one.
They could also use a time machine, should David Stearns find one on blocks in a rival executive’s front yard.